Within the PNW, dog sports seem pretty popular. I see sport mixes at the dog park frequently. Back home, there is a large population of dog-sporters, but I'm in the boonies so I need to drive a ways to go to shows and training places!

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What I need, Dog becomes.
Dog is great. Dog is good. Dog is everything.

Equinox Shadow Of A Hero CGC "Shadow"
Equinox Ain't No Rest For The Wicked CGC "Embyr"
Equinox Play Me Some Mountain Music "Copper"
Equinox Don't Feed It After Midnight "Bloo"

At this point most of my friends are dog people I've met through dogs/dog sports. Other than them, my dog-owning friends don't even take their dogs to puppy class.

I work in a veterinary clinic. None of my dog-owning coworkers have ever done anything with their dogs. I can think of a couple clients who show (or who have their dogs shown for them) in conformation, and one who did Obedience, and we had a referral chemo dog for awhile who did agility, but they're few and far between.

I've gotten a bit more open about my dog nerdiness than I used to, like I used to be paranoid I posted too much about my dog on FB, pictures, and such, and then I just got to a point where I don't care anymore. People can think I'm weird. Considering my FB gets flooded with photos of my high school graduating class having babies now.

And I've had convos before with people in regards to training dogs and such and I often just slyly put in my thoughts without being too overly passionate about it. Same with breeding. I'll do the same thing, and act like I know someone whose dog died while giving birth, even if I technically DON'T. But whenever people come up with the idea, I'll try to sway them. Some are just determined no matter what though and some aren't even worth talking to.

Oh yeah, I actually have several "lists" on Facebook so that my friends from school/work/everywhere else don't get sick of my dog pictures, and my dog friends don't get sick of my random real life thoughts. It's really pretty handy!! I don't mind people thinking I'm weird (I'm sure many do!) but most of my friends are busy with college life and partying and probably don't want to hear about my dog and camera obsession.

This is why dog friends are more fun

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whisper

I've always known you couldn't stand animals. You TOTALLY look like one. It's your hair. You have animal hating hair.

Same here! In the threads about why you came to Chaz/dog forums most people talk about how they were looking for help with an issue and stumbled across it. I needed somewhere to talk about dogs all the time!

I've tried to be direct about the risk to the bitch and puppies but either they write me off as paranoid or get irritated, as gentle as I keep myself.
With my cousin I just sighed, because my grandma had just finished telling me about how she thought a dachshund got her dog pregnant and she was disappointed it didn't take. I was just too tired to manage to say anything. Especially since they wanted to breed Molly to a St. Bernard and someone tossed in that the litter would be a mix of "great breeds" and "great breeds" = lots of money.

LOL the hair, is it? I always figured it was on account of the Asian, but maybe it's the hair, too

For me, I joined the forums to ask for help finding breeders and on all things puppy/dog... but then I started joining more forums (including Chaz) because I got hooked and had to keep blabbing about my dog. And posting pictures. And oggling at other dog pictures. And talking to other dog geeks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by krissy

I seriously find it fascinating that the vast majority of people do nothing with their dogs. I don't get it. You got a dog to spend no time with it? I don't mean they neglect it and are never home (though I notice that a lot too) but when you suggest an activity ("why don't you try agility/flyball/hiking") they say "oh, I don't have time for that". I didn't say marry the sport... I said try a class or hike once a week.

I guess I qualify as one of those? Whoops? I got a dog as a pet/companion but my definition of that really is just him hanging out with me throughout the day. We don't do classes or trials or any type of formal training. Just our regular walks/runs, playing ball once a day, maybe a beach trip or a hike a couple times a year, but really mostly we just hang out together doing nothing.

The only sport I'm really interested in is IPO or PSA training. PSA isn't possible because there are no clubs in my area, and IPO is a huge commitment that is even more difficult for me because I don't have a car. When I saw I don't have time, I kind of actually mean it! Agility would be fun for my dog, but to be frank I have no interest in playing and making that commitment.

This. Well, I love hiking with my dogs (we do that all the time since we live in an ideal place), but dog sports are something I just can't manage. I would LOVE to do agility especially, but I think I prefer food.

I guess I qualify as one of those? Whoops? I got a dog as a pet/companion but my definition of that really is just him hanging out with me throughout the day. We don't do classes or trials or any type of formal training. Just our regular walks/runs, playing ball once a day, maybe a beach trip or a hike a couple times a year, but really mostly we just hang out together doing nothing.

The only sport I'm really interested in is IPO or PSA training. PSA isn't possible because there are no clubs in my area, and IPO is a huge commitment that is even more difficult for me because I don't have a car. When I saw I don't have time, I kind of actually mean it! Agility would be fun for my dog, but to be frank I have no interest in playing and making that commitment.

Well, I'm pretty new still but from what I've seen your dog isn't exactly languishing in boredom every day. I literally mean I get people who don't get why their dog does X behaviour but they never take him out of the house. Literally. They don't walk the dog. They don't take it to the park. They don't train it themselves or formally. They don't take it to the pet store. They don't take it to the beach. The dog is literally in the house except to potty.

I don't train my dogs at a high level. Kili and I are just really getting into agility now that she's old enough. But I always try to take them everywhere with me. I work my errands around them to try to take them with me. When I go to my own sports in the summer I take them. Run them before and after the game/practice, tether them while I'm on the field and sit with them when I'm off. It's not like I interact that much with them when they go to frisbee with me but they get to see new places, new faces, stretch their legs, and it really isn't that much more effort on my part.

Dunno, maybe I'm odd. I don't think everyone needs to take their dogs everywhere and trial them... I just don't get dogs that NEVER see the world I guess.

Well, I'm pretty new still but from what I've seen your dog isn't exactly languishing in boredom every day. I literally mean I get people who don't get why their dog does X behaviour but they never take him out of the house. Literally. They don't walk the dog. They don't take it to the park. They don't train it themselves or formally. They don't take it to the pet store. They don't take it to the beach. The dog is literally in the house except to potty.

I don't train my dogs at a high level. Kili and I are just really getting into agility now that she's old enough. But I always try to take them everywhere with me. I work my errands around them to try to take them with me. When I go to my own sports in the summer I take them. Run them before and after the game/practice, tether them while I'm on the field and sit with them when I'm off. It's not like I interact that much with them when they go to frisbee with me but they get to see new places, new faces, stretch their legs, and it really isn't that much more effort on my part.

Dunno, maybe I'm odd. I don't think everyone needs to take their dogs everywhere and trial them... I just don't get dogs that NEVER see the world I guess.

I get where you're coming from now and I agree. I love doing stuff with my dogs, I love having them wherever I can take them. Millie used to go absolutely everywhere with me as my service dog, but she's retiring now, so she can't go all the places she used to, but I still do what I can manage.
My grandma has a very sweet little Bichon, and the dog is treated well, but she never gets to do anything. She maybe gets a short walk in a blue moon if my uncle feels like taking her. Otherwise, nothing. She's just. . .there. I know a lot of dogs like that. Some seem to do okay with it and some suffer for it.

Well, I'm pretty new still but from what I've seen your dog isn't exactly languishing in boredom every day. I literally mean I get people who don't get why their dog does X behaviour but they never take him out of the house. Literally. They don't walk the dog. They don't take it to the park. They don't train it themselves or formally. They don't take it to the pet store. They don't take it to the beach. The dog is literally in the house except to potty.

I don't train my dogs at a high level. Kili and I are just really getting into agility now that she's old enough. But I always try to take them everywhere with me. I work my errands around them to try to take them with me. When I go to my own sports in the summer I take them. Run them before and after the game/practice, tether them while I'm on the field and sit with them when I'm off. It's not like I interact that much with them when they go to frisbee with me but they get to see new places, new faces, stretch their legs, and it really isn't that much more effort on my part.

Dunno, maybe I'm odd. I don't think everyone needs to take their dogs everywhere and trial them... I just don't get dogs that NEVER see the world I guess.

Ah, I see. There's doing absolutely NOTHING with your dog, and then there's just... hanging out and not doing particularly anything with your dog. Seems like you were talking about the former and I qualify as the latter

No, he definitely isn't languishing in boredom. If he were understimulated, I'd be in big trouble!! I also take my dog with me everywhere, I just figured that compared to those who train their dogs in performance sports and real work, it was pretty much "nothing" (which I'd be okay with! I love doing nothing!).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whisper

LMAO! One of my friends who I'm lucky enough to have actually like dogs is Vietnamese. From now I'll seer clear of that closeted animal hater.

This. Well, I love hiking with my dogs (we do that all the time since we live in an ideal place), but dog sports are something I just can't manage. I would LOVE to do agility especially, but I think I prefer food.

Yeah, keep away from those Asians. Asians are bad news

Haha, to be fair, my priorities sometimes CAN be terrible. If I have to starve myself for a few days to get a pretty collar or a particularly cool dog toy, I might. Actually contemplating sacrificing a few meals for a dual leash that I've been eying. Hmm...

They don't walk the dog. They don't take it to the park. They don't train it themselves or formally. They don't take it to the pet store. They don't take it to the beach. The dog is literally in the house except to potty.

I don't get that either, I have dogs because I want something/someone to do those things with, otherwise I would be a total internet hermit. At least once or twice a week I throw a dog or two in the car to go run errands with, we go to the convenience store, or the bank, or wherever..stop off somewhere to walk or play ball, etc etc. Even if they don't get out of the car they enjoy going for the ride, and I enjoy the company.